Cover for an electrical outlet



1963 J. SPITERI 3,113,174

COVER FOR AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET Filed Aug. 2, 1961 FIG/L INVENTOR. JosaPH5P1 ram UM KM United States Patent 3,113,174 COVER FOR AN ELECTRIQALOUTLET Joseph Spiteri, Erie, Pa, assignor to Eleetr-fl l dech, 1nd,Erie, ya, a corporation of iennsyivania Filed Aug. 2, 1961, Ser. No.1215,8533 1 Claim. (Cl. 174 -67) This invention relates to electricaloutlet covers and, more particularly, to electrical outlet coverswherein the electrical elements are protected from inadvertent contactby any part of the body of a person.

In homes where children have access to electrical outlets, frequently,very young children will insert hairpins, nails, and other metallicobjects into the openings in the electrical outlets and will beelectrocuted or otherwise injured as a result thereof.

The present invention discloses an outlet cover which could be used forany AC. or DC protection socket to prevent unauthorized usage or as adust cover as well as a protective device to prevent and eliminateelectrical shock hazards. The cover can be manufactured of plastic orany plastic like material.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide animproved outlet which will prevent children and other persons fromcoming into inadvertent contact with the electrical elements therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved outlet cover.

A further object of the invention is to provide an outlet cover which issimple in construction, economical to man ufacture, and simple andefficient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsof the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularlypointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes maybe made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an electrical outlet having the coverdisclosed herein assembled thereon;

'FIG. 2 is a side view of the cover shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the outlet cover shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, an outlet cover plateis in the (form of a conventional type of plate which is of the typefrequently found on electrical outlets in homes and the like. The platell) has conventional spaced openings 11 and 12 through which theelectrical elements of the outlet extend. The plate 10 has a centralopening 14 which normally receives a screw to hold the plate in place onthe electrical outlet. A slot So is provided in the plate 10 throughwhich disks may be inserted when the cover is made of a single integralbody. The disks will be made of thin flexible material.

A spacer 15 is provided which is in the form of an open frame of thesame outside dimensions as the plate 10. The frame is generally planar,open at the center, and has inwardly projecting ears 16 and 17intermediate its height. The cars 16 and 17 are spaced from each otherless than the diameter of the disks 18 and 19 'so that the disks cannotpass between them to effectively form a partition to keep the disksseparated. The disks 18 and 19 are made of fiat plate like sheets andeach has spaced openings 20 and 21 therein. These openings are spacedequal to the spacing of the pintles on an ordinary electrical cord andare adapted to receive the pintles of a male electrical cord.

A top plate 22 is similar in construction to the plate 10 and it is of aflat sheet. The plate 22 has spaced openings 23 and 24 which are adaptedto be coextensive 3d B 174 Patented Dec. 3, 1963 with the openings 11and 12 and to overlie the openings 11 and 12 in the plate 10. A hole 25is provided which is generally aligned with the opening 14.

During operation, the plate 1d, spacer 15, and plate 22 are superimposedon each other and sandwiched together as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with thedisks 18 and 19 sup ported in the space outward of the ears 16 and 17.The plates 10 and 22 may be cemented to the spacer 15 to hold the devicetogether. Therefore, it will be seen that since the disks 18 and 19 areslightly thinner than the spacer 15, they will loosely float in thespace therebetween and will fall at random out of alignment with theopenings 23 and 24 but will be limited in their movement by the cars 16and 17.

Therefore, when the device disclosed herein is supported over an outletin a wall in the manner that plate 10 would ordinarily be supported withthe electrical outlet disposed in the openings 11 and 12, the disks 18and 19 will be generally over the electrodes but the openings 2% and 21therein will not align with the openings 26 and 27 in the electricaloutlet so that a child inserting a metallic object into the openings 20and 21 will not be injured by contacting the electrical circuit.

Then when a person desires to insert a convenience cord into theelectrical outlet, he will insert the prongs thereof into the openings26} and 21 in one of the disks 18 and 19 and he will rotate it untilthese openings come into alignment with the openings 26 and 27. He willthen insert the cord plug into these openings and a connection will becompleted.

The plate 10, plate 22, and spacer 15 may be manufactured of one pieceto form a complete frame with a slot on the back side as shown in FIG. 3for inserting washers. The slot can be left out when the plates are madeseparate. The device could be manufactured of any non-conductivematerial.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferredpractical forms but the structure shown is capable of modificationwithin a range of equivalents without departing from the invention whichis to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with theappended claim.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A cover for a convenience outlet comprising two spaced plates eachhaving two spaced openings therein, said spaced openings in one saidplate being aligned with corresponding openings in the other said plate,an open frame member having an outside size substantially equal to theoutside size of said plates and defining an open space underlying bothsaid spaced openings and holding said plates in spaced relation, meansholding said plates to said frame member, said frame member havingintermediate, inwardly extending ear members therein dividing said openframe member generally into two compartments, and a round disk in eachsaid compartment, each said compartment being substantially larger thaneach of said disks, said disks being slightly thinner than said framemember, said disks having spaced openings therein of spacing equal tothe spacing of prongs on a male electrical plug, said disks being freelymovable in the space between said plates, both said disks being disposedin said open space in said frame member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

